September 24, 2007	Monday	Ramazan 11, 1428

LAHORE, Sept 23: Political parties have condemned the crackdown on All Parties Democratic Movement leaders and workers for opposing the election of Gen Pervez Musharraf as president for another term.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal President and Jamat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed said Gen Pervez Musharraf could not become lawful president of the country by misusing state force against those trying to prevent him from prolonging his rule.

Preventing the APDM members from approaching Election Commission or the National Assembly speaker for tendering their resignations from the assemblies would be a flagrant violation of the law, he said and added world would not accept the results of presidential poll conducted in this manner.

He said the JI had great respect for the judiciary but its views on rejection of its pleas for constitution of a larger bench for the hearing of its review petitions were being construed as an attempt to malign the court by the government and its ministers who had always tried to make the courts ineffective.

Talking to Tehreek-i-Insaf Information Secretary Javed Iqbal on telephone, Tehreek Chairman Imran Khan said the arrests and detentions of APDM leaders and workers had exposed government’s claims about enlightenment and moderation. He said crackdown could not deter the APDM from continuing its struggle against unlawful rule of Gen Musharraf.

Commenting on the crackdown, MMA’s Liaqat Baloch and Syed Ehsanullah Waqas said the government would not be able to stop the movement against the military dictatorship by using arm-twisting tactics.

They said it was strange that the representatives of European Union and US were expressing satisfaction over the assurances being given by Gen Musharraf about the transparency of next general elections despite the fact that the general’s attempt to get himself elected as president in military uniform was a serious violation of the Constitution.

Grand Democratic Alliance Secretary General and Jamiat-i-Mashaikh head Pir Fazle Haq said all opposition parties should field their collective candidate to contest presidential election against Gen Musharraf.

Shabab-i-Milli President Syed Shahid Gilani said that opposition parties would stage a demonstration outside the Supreme Court on Monday (today) to protest against crackdown on APDM workers and leaders.